staehpj1

My new Canondale has a TranzX 31.6, 150 mm. dropper post. After only a few hundred trail miles I notice that there is free play in the post rotationally. All visible bolts are torqued properly, but the saddle rotates a couple degrees on the long axis of the post. Is there some fix or adjustment? Is it normal? Is this something that I should resolve via warranty? I have never used a dropper post and have not had one on previous bikes. If I have to buy a replacement I may go for a non dropper post.

2old

This aberration sounds abnormal to me based on my experience with droppers, and isn't desirable. I think it's a warranty issue. If you purchased from REI, they should resolve the problem.

prj71

Doesn't happen on my dropper. Bike Yoke Revive. It's solid.

staehpj1

Thanks I'll talk to my local REI and see what they will do for me on it.

staehpj1

I talked to the mechanic at REI. She said that the play was normal and all dropper posts had some. I was skeptical, but she walked me around the show room and we checked a half dozen new bikes and they were all similar to mine. She said that as you spent more money you might get less play in that axis, but there would still be some. Her suggestion was that if it really bothered me they could put a non dropper post on. After looking at the ones on new bikes I tend to believe that it isn't a major concern. To be fair, I may have exaggerated the amount of play when I said it was a couple degrees (it is hard to estimate the amount by feel).

I will keep an eye on it to see if it gets worse and may insist on a replacement if it does. Truth be told I am not a big fan of dropper posts anyway and might actually consider losing a bit of weight by going non dropper if it doesn't grow on me.

2old

I was a late adopter of droppers since many of the rides in socal are up, up, up, then down, so I only needed to drop my post once. However, once I started using one, I was hooked. Neither of my posts has any perceptible play. The PNW I received as a Christmas present has been perfect.

prj71

This would not be a true statement. Not all dropper posts have play. Only the cheaper ones do.

Also incorrect.

I have this one. It does not move at all.

https://www.jensonusa.com/Bike-Yoke-...2-Dropper-Post

staehpj1

Yeah, I believe that there is little or no play on higher end dropper posts. The play on mine probably isn't really functionally significant. Our local REI has no MTB other than low end so all of the ones on the floor have noticeable play.

I am old as dirt (72) so I a from am racing background WAY BACK. I never used a dropper and don't pick up new habits that fast. Also locally we don't have descents that require one so I'd only probably use it when I travel somewhere with real mountains if at all. So a 1 pound $300-400 post may not be right for me. I might just buy a rigid post that weighs half that and costs a fraction of the cost if I decide to change it out at all.

Kapusta

The TransX is (I believe) the same basic design platform by the same manufacturer as the PNW posts. I would not say a “rebadge” as there are some small differences in features, but the basic mechanism is the same.

A little bit of rotational play is normal. I have three of these (PNW) and they all rotate just a little bit. PNW considers 1-2mm rotation to be normal. You can read about it here: https://www.pnwcomponents.com/blogs/...-dropper-posts

I have found it makes absolutely no difference when riding.